Contactless smartcard systems and RFID smartcard systems are employed in a wide range of applications. Contactless smartcards may be credit card sized cards having an embedded microchip that stores data including financial data, health data, and other data, although the smartcards can come in many different sizes and shapes. RFID smartcards may be credit card sized cards having an RFID chip that stores data including financial data, health data, and other data, although the smartcards can come in many different sizes and shapes. Contactless smartcards communicate information wirelessly with a smartcard reader using magnetic, radio frequency (RF), infrared, microwave, light, and/or ultraviolet radiation. For contactless smartcards that use magnetic radiation, RF radiation, or microwave radiation, the smartcards may be read from an owners pocket, wallet, purse or other carrier that is located remote from the smartcard reader. RFID smartcards communicate information wirelessly with a reader using magnetic or radio frequency (RF) radiation that may be read from a owner's pocket, wallet, purse or other carrier that is located remote from the reader As a result, data from contactless smartcards and/or RFID smartcards may be accessed and read without an owners awareness.
Commercially available smartcard readers and/or RFID smartcard readers are designed to read from various different ranges, from distances of an inch or two up to distances of several hundred feet, depending on the strength and frequency of the signals. Readers may be designed with greater magnetic and RF field strength in order to increase an effective range for reading contactless smartcards and/or RFID smartcards. While software encryption technology is available to protect data that is stored on contactless smartcards and/or RFID smartcards, it is possible to compromise the various software encryption techniques. In addition, some smartcards do not include encryption. Other drawbacks exist.